NPI Buyer

Heron Power•Scotts Valley, CA

3d•$115,000 - $130,000

About The Position

Heron Power is a startup company building cutting-edge power electronics for the 21st-century grid. We aim to debottleneck the growth of electricity generation and consumption with scalable, innovative, and less costly hardware solutions, accelerating the electrification of everything. Our first focus goal is to build better converters (inverters & rectifiers) to connect large-scale renewables, storage, and loads to the grid. Heron Power’s leadership team is made up of seasoned veterans who have designed and shipped gigawatts of power conversion products over the past decade. We understand that no one individual knows everything. We will all learn a lot together and from each other. We strive to build a collaborative, enriching environment conducive to personal, technical, and career growth. You can expect to work in a dynamic and collaborative environment, driven by first principles engineering, solving difficult problems. Job Overview At Heron Power, we’re scaling our supply chain at speed. That’s where you come in. The NPI Buyer keeps New Product Introduction builds on track by owning PO execution and inbound logistics end-to-end. You’ll place and manage purchase orders, coordinate domestic and international shipments, track milestones and ETAs, and escalate issues before they are delayed. You’ll also improve how we operate by building repeatable processes and lightweight automations that reduce manual work and keep builds moving. If you like turning chaos into clarity, keeping timelines intact, and building operational muscle in a company moving fast, this role is for you.

Requirements

3+ years in purchasing, inbound logistics, supply chain operations, or a similar role (manufacturing/hardware experience preferred).
Strong working knowledge of PO lifecycle, supplier coordination, and inbound freight operations.
Experience working with freight forwarders and managing international shipments.
Familiarity with Incoterms, basic customs concepts, and shipping documentation.
Proficiency with Excel/Google Sheets and ERP/MRP tools (e.g., NetSuite, SAP, Oracle, Odoo, etc.).
Clear, proactive communicator who is able to translate shipment details into concise updates and action plans.
Highly organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable driving multiple shipments and POs simultaneously.

Nice To Haves

Experience with landed cost tracking, freight bill auditing, and expedite management.
Exposure to planning concepts (MRP signals, safety stock, lead time variability).
Experience in a fast-paced environment with frequent engineering or schedule changes.
Data/BI skills (Power BI/Tableau) a plus.

Responsibilities

Create and manage POs with accurate pricing, terms and delivery dates
Drive acknowledgements, resolve discrepancies, and secure supplier commitments.
Support sourcing with supplier coordination and repeat order execution.
Manage inbound shipments end-to-end: pickups, docs, freight booking, and delivery appointments.
Work with forwarders, carriers, and customs brokers (air/ocean/truck).
Ensure complete and compliant shipping documentation (Commercial Invoice/Packing List, Bill Of Lading/Air Waybill, Certificate Of Origin, HTS, etc.).
Track milestones (ready/pickup/depart/arrive/clear/deliver) and escalate risk early.
Maintain an accurate inbound pipeline and ETA forecasts aligned to build demand.
Identify bottlenecks and improve processes to reduce expedites, variability, and delays.
Partner with receiving/warehouse to ensure deliveries are labeled and received correctly.
Protect inventory accuracy through discrepancy resolution and document retention.